Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 14:9/רמב"ן על במדבר י״ד:ט׳
אוְטַעַם אַךְ בַּה' אַל תִּמְרֹדוּ, כִּי יִרְאַתְכֶם לְחֹזֶק הָעָם הַיּוֹשֵׁב בָּהּ הוּא מֶרֶד בַּשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד, כִּי לֹא בְּכֹחֲכֶם יְצָאתֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם, כִּי יַד ה' עָשְׂתָה עִמָּכֶם לְהַפְלִיא, וְהוּא הִבְטִיחַ אֶתְכֶם שֶׁיּוֹרִישֵׁם מִפְּנֵיכֶם, אִם כֵּן הַאֲמִינוּ וְתַצְלִיחוּ. וְאָמְרוּ: ״וְאַתֶּם אַל תִּירְאוּ וְגוֹ' כִּי לַחְמֵנוּ הֵם״, כִּי גַם בַּטֶּבַע וּבַנּוֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם יִפְּלוּ לְפָנֵינוּ, כִּי נָפַל פַּחְדֵּנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְיַנִּיחוּ אוֹתָנוּ לְאָכְלָם כַּלֶּחֶם:
1ONLY REBEL NOT AGAINST THE ETERNAL. This means that [Moses and Aaron told the people]: “Your being afraid [to go up] because of the strength of the people that dwell in the Land is [in itself] a rebellion against the Glorious Name,101 for it was not because of your [own] strength that you came out of Egypt, but it was the hand of the Eternal that hath dealt wondrously with you.102 And He has assured you that He will drive them out from before you; if so, believe [in Him] and you will succeed.” They [Moses and Aaron] continued: neither fear ye the people, for they are bread for us, meaning that “even in the natural course of events and through normal methods of [warfare as practiced in] the world, they will fall before us, for the fear of us has overcome them and they will let us consume them like bread.”
בסָר צִלָּם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם – מָגִנָּם וְחָזְקָם, כְּשֵׁרִים שֶׁבָּהֶם מֵתוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: צִלּוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם סָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר י״ד:ט׳). וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר כִּי צִלָּם מָגֵן וְצִנָּה אֲשֶׁר הֵם צֵל עַל הַנִּלְחָמִים, יֹאמְרוּ כִּי נָפַל פַּחְדֵּנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִקְחוּ מָגֵן וְצִנָּה וְכוֹבַע לְהֵחָלֵץ לְהִלָּחֵם כְּנֶגְדֵּנוּ. וְיָפֶה פֵּרֵשׁ. אֲבָל יִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּרְמֹז הַכָּתוּב לְמַה שֶׁנּוֹדַע כִּי בְּלֵיל הַחוֹתָם לֹא יִהְיֶה צֵל לְרֹאשׁ הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִיא, לְכָךְ יֹאמַר כְּבָר סָר צִלָּם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנִּגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם מִיתָה, וַה' אִתָּנוּ, כִּי הוּא הַשּׁוֹכֵן בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ וְעוֹשֶׂה לָנוּ נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת לְעֵינֵי כָּל רוֹאֶה, עַל כֵּן אַל תִּירָאוּם. אוֹ יִרְמֹז לְשָׂרֵי מַעְלָה, שֶׁאֵין אֻמָּה נוֹפֶלֶת עַד שֶׁנּוֹפֵל הַשַּׂר שֶׁלָּהּ תְּחִלָּה (מכילתא שירה ב), כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״יִפְקֹד ה' עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם" וְגוֹ', וְאַחַר כָּךְ ״עַל מַלְכֵי הָאֲדָמָה בָּאֲדָמָה״ (ישעיהו כד כא), וְכַמְפֹרָשׁ בְּסֵפֶר דָּנִיֵּאל (י כ). יֹאמַר כְּבָר סָר הַכֹּחַ אֲשֶׁר בְּצִלּוֹ יִחְיוּ הַגּוֹיִם, וַה' הַמַּשְׁפִּיל אוֹתָם אִתָּנוּ, עַל כֵּן אַל תִּירָאוּם. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ בְּמִדְרַשׁ שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים: ״וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים״ - אֵלּוּ שָׂרֵי אֻמּוֹת וְהַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁלָּהֶם, כִּי הֵם הַצֵּל עַל הָאֻמּוֹת. וּכְבָר הִזְכַּרְתִּי זֶה בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים (ויקרא יח כה לעיל יא טו):
2TZILAM’ (literally: “their shadow”) IS REMOVED FROM THEM. “That is, their shield and their strength [are departed from them]. The worthy ones among them have died. Another interpretation: the shade (protection) of G-d is departed from them.” This is Rashi’s language. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that “tzilam means the buckler and shield which form a shade [and protection] to people in battle, and they [Moses and Aaron] are thus saying that our fear has fallen upon them, so that they will not take buckler, shield nor helmet to arm themselves and fight against us.” He has explained it well.But it is possible that Scripture is alluding to the well-known fact that there will be no shadow over the head of a person who is [destined] to die that year, on “the night of the seal.”103 Therefore it says: “their ‘shade’ is already removed from them, meaning that death has been decreed upon them, and the Eternal is with us, for it is He Who dwells in our midst and does miracles and wonders for us in the eyes of all who behold us; therefore, fear them not.” Or it is possible that the verse alludes to the princes above [in heaven], for no nation falls unless its prince falls first, as it is written, The Eternal will punish the host of the high heaven on high etc., and afterwards, on the kings of the earth upon the earth,104 and as is explained in the Book of Daniel.105, 11:16. Thus the verse is saying: “the power under whose protection the nations [in the land of Canaan] live is already removed, and the Eternal Who lowered them is with us, therefore fear them not.” And thus the Rabbis said in Midrash Shir Hashirim:106 Vol. II, p. 528). “And the shadows flee away.107 These are the princes of the nations and their angels,” for they are the protection over the nations. I have already mentioned this in other places.108